TELECOMMUNICATIONS: COURT CONDEMNS PORTUGAL FOR FAVOURITISM TOWARDS PORTUGAL TELECOM.

• Position: Brief Article

The Commission asked the court to note that by failing in practice to ensure transposition of article 4 of Commission directive 90/388/EEC of June 28, 1990, concerning competition on telecommunications services markets (OJ L 192, p. 10), as amended by Commission directive 96/19/EC of March 13, 1996, the Republic of Portugal had failed to meet its obligations.

According to directive 96/19, "Telecommunications organisations in many Member States enjoy legal privileges to install their network on public and private land, without charge or at charges set simply to recover incurred costs. If Member States do not grant similar possibilities to...